by Jen | Jan 20, 2026 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Hi—thanks for checking in with me today!
Last Week’s Work
LESSON(S) LEARNED
Over the last seven weeks, Paul taught me I have a choice: I can choose the salvation of God’s unfailing, unending grace and look forward to forever in heaven with Him by believing Jesus Christ was God’s Son who willingly gave His earthly life to redeem me. Or I can opt to always act in accordance with every condition of God’s law. I can’t do either of these perfectly, but the risk manager in me realizes that grace covers me even when my belief is small as a mustard seed. I choose grace.
CONVICTION
I am reminded that my actions always reflect what I believe. And, unfortunately, that fluctuates. Many times, I let fear take over when faith should lead. I speak or act based on what I’m afraid of because my confidence in Jesus isn’t strong enough to overcome the worry.
CORRECTION
In this study, two cross-references caught my eye: He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” (Matthew 13:33 ESV); and Luke’s version: And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened” (Luke 13:20-21 ESV). These two are the only instances where leaven is used as a positive influence: a woman working with this hidden substance successfully impacts a whole batch of flour.
For good (or bad), my faith impacts my behavior. But I know it’s also true that action impacts my belief. About the time I was saved, I read a book called Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. To the best of my recollection, it was more self-help than scriptural, but I believe the title is an excellent reminder of what faith looks like: it’s acknowledging I need God’s help for a successful journey but taking the first step anyway.
ACTION PLAN
Going forward, I want to stop allowing fear (unbelief) to hold me back from doing what I believe God has prepared for me to do: studying His Word and helping other women do the same. I want to grow my faith by taking the first step in whatever form it appears and continually reminding myself that He is with me all the way.
Our Next Study
Next week, I’m excited to begin a study of Psalm 23, the Scripture that saved my life thirty years ago and—because God is like that—ties right into what I discovered here in Galatians 5!
This upcoming study kicks off a new series called God Who? where we’ll examine passages that feature several of His names. I can’t wait to explore the treasure to be found there, and I hope you’ll join me to learn more about our awesome God!
by Jen | Mar 10, 2026 | DISO studies, Psalm 23
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Welcome back! As I write this, I’m struggling with a lingering cough (especially at night) that’s outstayed its welcome by more than a week. I feel weak and tired and sorely in need of a Good Shepherd to give me rest. Lord, hear my cry!
Last Week’s Work
CROSS-REFERENCES
He restores my soul. The cross-references focused my attention to see this restoration is fully attributed to the Shepherd. It’s not the sheep’s action (following the Shepherd/LORD) that brings the soul benefit; the restoration comes from and depends completely on the LORD. In Psalm 19:7, David attributes the soul’s revival to the [LORD’s] law, and this law is characterized in Psalm 119:174 as a delight.
From Job, I observed a reference that … God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit, [why does God do that? so] that he [man] may be lighted with the light of life (Job 33:29-30).
References from the prophets Jeremiah, Hosea, and Micah focused on God’s intention to restore the relationship between Himself and mankind (see Jeremiah 32:30-42; Hosea 14:4-9; and Micah 7:8-9, 18-19), which comes full circle when Jesus became the Lamb who, once for all, died to restore the souls of all believers to a right relationship with God (see John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7).
He leads me in righteous paths… This language is echoed in other Psalms David also authored. In Psalm 5:8, Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness… make your way straight before me; and Answer me quickly, O LORD! … Make me know the way I should go … Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground (Psalm 143:7-8, 10)! The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah also spoke to this leadership visual: And I [the LORD] will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known. I will guide them. I will turn the … rough places into level ground… (Isaiah 42:16). And … I [the LORD] will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble… (Jeremiah 31:9). Again, the LORD leads, and the final clause of my study verse answers why.
It’s… for his name’s sake, which again emphasizes the role of the divine Shepherd (not the sheep). David used the same phrase multiple times in his Psalms: For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great (Psalm 25:11); For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me (Psalm 31:3);But you, O GOD my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name’s sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me (Psalm 109:21); and For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble (Psalm 143:11)! Clearly, the LORD’s name is something special! Just now, the Spirit put the third commandment on my heart—You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain (Exodus 20:7). And Jesus’s statement, whatever you ask in my name, I will do (John 14:13). Whew, God is already showing me the awesome power of His name in Scripture, and I’ve only just started studying it!
OTHER TRANSLATIONS
This time, I compared four other translations of Psalm 23:3 to the English Standard Version. The New Living Translation (NLT) and Good News Translation (GNT) provided interesting perspective. Both versions differed from the ESV, Amplified (AMP), and New American Standard Bible (NASB20) in the first clause by rendering the action as renewing or giving new strength (not refreshing or restoring the soul); and in the second clause by substituting guides for leads.
As far as the third clause, I think the NLT and GNT provide more perspective: in the NLT, the renewal and guidance [bring] honor to his [the LORD’s] name. Finally, in contrast to all the other translations, the GNT renders the last clause, as he has promised. On reflection, I think this means God does what He says He will do, which every line of His Word reminds me of, over and over again.
COMMENTARY
I didn’t spend a lot of time in the commentaries for this passage. I’m content with focusing on the personal, relational aspects of David’s described connection between himself and his divine shepherd. Though I am no King David, I feel like my personal relationship with YHWH Ra’ah has also been one of restoration, divine guidance (though this ewe isn’t always the best follower!), and revelation that continually shows me how God keeps His promises, even to someone who absolutely does not deserve it!
Dig-In Challenges
This coming week, let’s wrap up our study of Psalm 23 and align with what we’ve discovered here:
- PRAY: Use mine from week 2, or your own.
- ALIGN: Review your study notes (or what I’ve posted since week 2) and consider what you’ve learned in this study.
- ALIGN: Then, think about how the Spirit has convicted you through this study. In other words, where has He shown you misalignment between what we’ve discovered and how you practice your faith?
- ALIGN: Next, look to God’s Word for guidance to correct that misalignment. For me, this is often a verse from the study text or from one of the cross-references.
- ALIGN: And finally, reflect on how you can change thoughts or actions to align more closely with what you’ve discovered here.
To make this stick, I commit to change something and do my best to act on that commitment every day for at least three weeks.
I know the Lord will bless our efforts to understand and apply His Word!
by Jen | Jan 13, 2026 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Welcome back! Let’s dig right into what I found in my review of cross-references, other translations, and relevant commentaries.
Last Week’s Work
CROSS-REFERENCES
These references stood out this week:
- Matthew 16:6-12. Jesus told his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which, He explained, meant they needed to be wary of what those Jewish leaders taught. Depending on which commentary you follow, it seems Paul might have used the proverb that way also (see below).
- Luke 12:1-3. In Luke’s version, Jesus calls out specifically the Pharisees’ hypocrisy as the leaven he warns against.
- 1 Corinthians 5:6-8. Here, Paul chastises the Corinthian congregation for tolerating sexual immorality and arrogance, exhorting them to clean out the old leaven of malice and evil and, instead, be like the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
OTHER TRANSLATIONS
The first thing I noticed in this comparison was punctuation in the New International Version and the Good News Translation: both included quotation marks around this statement. I interpreted that as an indication this statement didn’t originate with Paul; it was likely a proverb he quoted. In fact, the GNT version even adds as they say at the end of the verse to make that clearer.
The Amplified Bible went a little further into an explanation, identifying possible comparisons Paul might have intended his audience to consider: A little leaven [a slight inclination to error, or a few false teachers] leavens the whole batch [it perverts the concept of faith and misleads the church]. Though it doesn’t stay true to the actual verbiage of the verse, based on my research and review of other commentaries on this verse, I think it does the best job of stating what Paul probably intended his audience to hear: that the church should strictly adhere to the gospel as Paul proclaimed it to them and not listen to those who argued salvation also required compliance with all law.
COMMENTARY
This time, I first narrowed the list of commentaries to those applicable to my focus verse (Galatians 5:9). Then, I searched for my key term from that verse: leaven (Hint: pressing Ctrl+F on your Windows keyboard—or Command+F on Apple—enables a word search box where you can enter any terms you want to locate on the page).
After focusing my review on the sections of commentary featuring that word, I made these observations:
- Not all the commentators I reviewed agreed on what Paul intended leaven to represent in this context: some suggested it was doctrinal error (for example, you’re saved by grace, but you still need to keep the whole law, too), and others thought it referred to false teachers (though there might only be a few of these pseudo leaders, their influence spread enough confusion to taint the whole community). Some even felt it might represent both—or any other type of influence that threatened to lead the Galatians astray or dilute the gospel.
- Regardless of who or what leaven represents, though, they agreed that the gospel (the way of grace) and the (way of) law are incompatible: one cannot be saved by grace if he chooses to depend on his own works for salvation.
Considering this, it seems to me humans can never succeed in keeping the whole law—the standard of behavior is just too high for us to clear. But faith is something we can manage with the help of the Spirit (who will also help us manifest love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control, according to v22). Thank God for the Holy Spirit!
Dig-In Challenges
This coming week, let’s wrap up our study of Galatians 5 and align with what we’ve discovered here:
- PRAY: Read the prayer created in Step 1.
- ALIGN: Review our study notes and other work, focusing specifically on what we’ve learned in this study.
- ALIGN: Then, considering those “lessons learned,” think about how the Spirit has convicted us through this study. In other words, where has He shown us misalignment between what we’ve discovered and how we practice our faith?
- ALIGN: Next, let’s look to God’s Word for guidance to correct that misalignment. This is often—but not always—a verse from the study text or from one of the cross-references.
- ALIGN: And finally, reflect on how we can change thoughts or actions to align more closely with what we’ve discovered here. To make this work, I commit to change something and do my best to act on that commitment every day for at least three weeks.
If you haven’t been able to work through everything with me in the last seven weeks, I encourage you to read through my previous posts in this series and ask the Holy Spirit to work with you on steps 3-5 above. I know the Lord will bless your efforts to understand and apply His Word!
GO TO WEEK 8 >
by Jen | Mar 3, 2026 | DISO studies, Psalm 23
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Greetings! This week I started refining my understanding of Psalm 23:3 by (1) making sure I’m considering David’s whole message, (2) trying to determine how he and his audience interpreted that message, and (3) looking to Hebrew translators for help understanding key words from verse 3.
Last Week’s Work
LITERAL CONTEXT
Here, I discovered Psalms 11-22 are also attributed to David, as are Psalms 24-32. After reviewing them all, I find many share similar structural components and identical themes with Psalm 23, but I believe David intended verses 1-6 to be a single, self-contained message, and I plan to interpret it that way.
WRITING TYPES
No doubt this is one of the most beautiful poems/hymns David penned. The association of the LORD as a shepherd is less powerful for our generation, I think, but even if we know little about sheep and their keepers, we can still appreciate the peaceful, natural beauty of green pastures and still waters. Growing up in a small town with pastures to the north and east of my home, I have no problem visualizing a similar scene. To me, this Shepherd symbolizes an easily approachable Guide (the LORD) who knows and takes us on paths to provide physical (food, water, rest) and spiritual sustenance. In addition, His presence represents safety because He protects us from natural and supernatural predators. All we have to do is follow Him!
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
According to the ESV Global Study Bible, David was King of Israel from 1010 BC to 971 BC. I couldn’t find specific information about when he wrote Psalm 23 but did discover he was more than just a monarch/ruler; he also represented and embodied his subjects: their well-being was tied to his faithfulness [to God]. John MacArthur’s introduction indicates the psalm’s original purpose was to engender proper praise and worship of God. I think it does that beautifully.
INTERLINEAR RESEARCH
Because this series focuses on the names of God, I started my interlinear research looking at the Hebrew words David used to name Him in this passage. First, he called Him LORD. This word (literally, initials YHWH or JHVH, Strong’s H3068) appears more than 6200 times in the Old Testament! It’s the name associated with creation, self-existence, covenant, exodus, and mercy. It’s used in at least six compound structures (including YHWH Ra’ah in Psalm 23) to denote different aspects of God’s character. Contrasted with the term Lord (Adonay, Strong’s 136, meaning Lord, Master), YHWH is the personal, faithful, sovereign God who creates, redeems, judges, and dwells with His people. Therefore, YHWH Ra’ah (Strong’s H7462) is a picture of God as One who figuratively leads and teaches a group of people.
In v3, I checked four more words: first in the phrase He restores (H7725, shub) my soul (H5315 nephesh). Shub implies a turning back, literally or figuratively, though not necessarily to the same place. Nephesh’s meaning seems to indicate life or living, vitality, and it’s sometimes translated as person or breathing creature. That reminded me of Genesis 2:7, where God (YHWH H430 Elohim) animated Adam by breathing into his nostrils. The original word for the verb there (H5301, naphach) seems to me quite similar to the soul in Psalm 23:3. Something for me to meditate on for sure! Finally, I wanted to understand the stated reason the Lord led David in righteous paths. The text reads it’s for [the LORD’s] name’s (H8034 shem) sake (H4616 maan). The Topical Lexicon section on H8034 at BibleHub.com describes this use thus: God acts ‘for His name’s sake,’ displaying covenant faithfulness even when Israel is unworthy.
Dig-In Challenges
I’ve learned a lot, but I still want to learn more about verse 3! If you want to dig deeper, too, here’s a plan:
- PRAY, of course.
- REFINE: Consult a concordance or online cross-reference study tool [I’ll be starting here] to find and read through the available cross-references for your focus verse(s) and log what the Spirit shows you.
NOTE: for your study, follow the above link, then use the Prev or Next buttons below the verse text to go to your focus verse(s).
- REFINE: Next, compare at least a few other translations of your focus verse(s) and write about what you find in your study journal. I’ll be comparing ESV, AMP, NIV, NLT, and GNT, starting with this biblehub.com page. After following this link, you can navigate to your verse(s) by entering the reference in the Enter Reference or Keyword box at the top of the page and clicking the spyglass icon there.
- REFINE: Last, I plan to check a few commentaries on Psalm 23:3. If you already have a favorite study Bible or commentary, feel free to review it, too. If you don’t, I recommend bibleref.com if you’re new to the Bible or Bible study: it’s easy to follow and you can find information about the whole book and this passage.
If you’re looking for something with more detail, try checking the commentary section of StudyLight.org. There, you can access verse-by-verse commentaries on Psalm 23 by clicking the box for your focus verse, then clicking the name of the commentary listed immediately under the text of the verse you chose. I recommend you review more than one commentary and listen to the Spirit’s guidance on them.
I encourage you to do what you can this week to dig deeper into God’s Word. I know you’ll find immense treasure there. And I hope you’ll check in with me again next week!
by Jen | Jan 6, 2026 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Hello again! I just realized I’ve been posting DISO study discoveries online since March 2019—almost seven years now! The process has changed over time, and I have as well. God’s Word has a way of doing that to us, doesn’t it? It’s one of the main reasons I’ve devoted my post-retirement life to digging into Scripture. I’m so glad you’re joining me today as I unpack what I discovered this week researching Galatians in general and verse 9 of Galatians 5. Let’s get to it!
Last Week’s Work
WRITING TYPES
From Galatians 1:1, this is a letter from Paul, the apostle, to the churches of Galatia. Like many of Paul’s letters, it contains instructions and comparisons, which leads me to conclude it’s instructional text and generally intended to be interpreted literally. As I dug deeper into the meaning of verse 9, though, I believe this statement about leaven is figurative, symbolizing how seemingly small, insignificant factors can have great influence (for good or bad) over the whole.
LITERAL CONTEXT
Reading through chapters 1-4 in Galatians, the Holy Spirit helped me see other references to someone or some group who seemed to be pressuring the Galatians to accept and conform to Jewish law tradition (i.e., circumcision) in addition to professing their faith in Christ. For example, Galatians 1:7 mentions some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. Paul also talks about certain men who intimidated Peter into reverting to traditional eating rules (see also Acts 10:9-16) and how Paul set him straight (Galatians 2:11-14).
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The churches of Galatia likely refers to several churches Paul founded during his first missionary journey (see Acts 13-14), and the purpose of this letter was to encourage these new Christians to stay focused on the simple truth of the gospel: that they are saved purely through faith in Jesus Christ. According to the ESV Introduction, Galatia was a Roman province which other sources locate in modern-day Central Turkey. The same source indicates this letter was written about 48 AD, though a timeline I found on blb.org suggests a bit later, during Paul’s second missionary journey. It’s likely the congregation Paul addresses is mostly non-Jewish, since he mentions “receiving circumcision (v2).” I think this infers they were agreeing, as adults, to submit to the practice, but Jewish law affirmatively required this operation no later than the eighth day after a male child was born (Leviticus 12:3). Also, my conclusion about their identity is consistent with Paul’s stated commission to bring the gospel to Gentiles (see Galatians 2:7-8).
INTERLINEAR RESEARCH
My interlinear research focused on the two leavens mentioned in v9. First, the noun, zymē, G2219, refers to a substance used in both Jewish and Greek baking to cause dough to “rise” or enlarge (over time), producing a lighter and fluffier baked product. I was reminded of my mom teaching me to make homemade bread: kneading the dough to work the yeast through it, putting it in a towel-covered bowl in the warmest spot in the kitchen, then coming back to find it had grown exponentially!
I also looked at the verb form of leaven, in Greek, zymoi, G2220, meaning to rise as described above. The Biblehub.com resource I consulted indicated verse 9 might have been a proverbial expression (also used in the gospels and by Paul again in 1 Corinthians 5:6) in which the leaven represented a thorough, utterly complete change agent affecting itself and others [for good or bad]. Given my experience with yeast dough, I can see why biblical teachers like Jesus and Paul used leaven as a memorable way to talk about influence.
Dig-In Challenges
I’m anxious to learn more about this proverb, so this week my research will include more refining steps. If you want to dig deeper, too, here’s my plan:
- PRAY, of course.
- REFINE: Consult a concordance or online cross-reference study tool [I’ll be starting here] to find and read through the available cross-references for your focus verse(s) and log what the Spirit shows you.
NOTE: for your study, follow the above link, then use the Prev or Next buttons below the verse text to go to your focus verse(s).
- REFINE: Next, compare at least a few other translations of your focus verse(s) and write about what you find in your study journal. I’ll be comparing ESV, AMP, NIV, NLT, and GNT starting with this biblehub.com page. After following this link, you can navigate to your verse(s) by entering the reference in the Enter Reference or Keyword box at the top of the page and clicking the spyglass icon there.
- REFINE: Last, I plan to check a few commentaries on Galatians 5:9. If you already have a favorite study Bible or commentary, feel free to review it, too. If you don’t, I recommend bibleref.com if you’re new to the Bible or Bible study: it’s easy to following and you can find information about the whole book and this passage.
If you’re looking for something with more detail, try checking the commentary section of StudyLight.org. There, you can access verse-by-verse commentaries on Galatians 5 by clicking the box for your focus verse, then clicking the name of the commentary listed immediately under the text of the verse you chose. I recommend you review more than one commentary and listen to the Spirit’s guidance on them.
I encourage you to do what you can this week to dig deeper into God’s Word. I know you’ll find immense treasure there. And I hope you’ll check in with me again next week!
GO TO WEEK 7 >
by Jen | Feb 24, 2026 | DISO studies, Psalm 23
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Hello, friends. This past week marked the beginning of Lent—the forty days (excluding Sundays) between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday (April 5, 2026). How are you preparing your heart for the resurrected Savior? I’m glad you’re making time to be in God’s Word with me!
Last Week’s Work
COMPARISONS
The obvious comparison of LORD as Shepherd and David as sheep begins in verse 1 and flows through the whole psalm:
- The LORD is [=] my Shepherd (v1).
- [Shepherd] makes [sheep] lie down; leads [sheep] (v2).
- [Shepherd] leads [sheep] (v3).
- [Sheep] fear no evil, for [Shepherd is] with [sheep]; [Shepherd’s] rod and staff comfort [sheep] (v4).
I’m again reminded of safety in the Shepherd’s presence.
- [Shepherd] prepare[s] a table before [sheep] (v5).
- [Sheep] shall dwell in the house of the [Shepherd] forever (v6).
These last two verses remind me of a parable the prophet Nathan told David after he ordered the murder of Bathsheba’s husband. It featured a rich man with a large herd of sheep who stole and butchered a poor man’s only lamb. Nathan said the lamb shared [the poor man’s] food, drank from his cup, and even slept in his arms (2 Samuel 12:3)!
Other symbolic references:
- Valley of the shadow of death (v4): I think this says going into a confined area where evil and death lurk doesn’t frighten David. Instead, he’s comforted by the LORD’s presence.
- Rod and staff (v4): symbolic of supernatural protection and guidance?
- Anointing David’s head with oil (v5): this reminded me of the ceremony by which Samuel identified David as King Saul’s successor (1 Samuel 16:1-13).
- Overflowing cup (v5). I assume this signifies abundance.
- Goodness and mercy following David (v6): obviously, they can’t walk behind him. I think this might refer to David’s intended legacy?
CAUSES/MOTIVATIONS
I found just two instances of the connector “for” in this Psalm: in v3 and again in v4:
Verse 3
ACTION: [The LORD] leads me in paths of righteousness
CONNECTOR: for
EXPLANATION: [The LORD’s] name’s sake.
This is the second half of my focus verse. Literally, it says the LORD’s name is the reason the LORD leads David to righteousness. Now I really want to understand His name in this passage!!!
Verse 4
ACTION: [David] will fear no evil
CONNECTOR: for
EXPLANATION: [The LORD] is with [David]; [The LORD’s] rod and staff… comfort [David].
As noted above, the LORD’s presence emboldens David, even in frightening situations.
CONDITIONS/METHODS
Two actions for which conditions are specified in this Psalm are:
- Verse 1: If the LORD is David’s Shepherd, David doesn’t want for anything (divine provision).
- Verse 4: If the LORD (with rod and staff) is with David, he’s not afraid of evil, even in confined, shadowy, evil places.
Dig-In Challenges
This coming week, I’m planning to:
- PRAY. Of course!
- REFINE my understanding of this text by determining which of the following types of writing appear in Psalm 23: instruction, law, letter, narrative, poetry, or prophecy. I’ll note the types I find and from that determine whether the text should be interpreted literally.
- REFINE: Next, I’ll research the book’s historical context by referencing an Introduction to the Book of Psalms, starting here. These references may also contain a summary of the book’s content. If you’re working along with me, note any relevant or interesting facts you uncover in your review of these materials. Based on the writing type (from step 2, above) and what you discover in the introduction, should Psalm 23 be interpreted literally?
- REFINE: Last, I’ll be looking up the meaning of a few words and phrases from my focus verse using an interlinear Bible tool. I like Biblehub.com’s Hebrew tool for this research. To use it, follow the link above. You can scroll to the verse(s) you want to examine by clicking the blue arrow to the right of the verse citation (“Psalm 23:3”) for higher-numbered verses or the arrow to the left to view verses 1 and 2. Once you locate the verse, click the number in the Strong’s column that corresponds to the English word or phrase you’re researching. Note anything the Spirit highlights for you in the information provided.
I encourage you to use these tools and dig as much as you can this week. I pray the Spirit will bless your efforts, my friend!
GO TO WEEK 6 >
